


Bonding Moments

by Seliphra



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Ballroom Dancing, Black Paladin Keith (Voltron), Canadian Keith (Voltron), Canon Compliant, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Dancing, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith (Voltron) is Canadian, Klance Reverse Bang 2018, Love Confessions, M/M, Pining Keith (Voltron), Red Paladin Lance (Voltron), Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 17:53:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14383917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seliphra/pseuds/Seliphra
Summary: Keith has been struggling to lead team Voltron, and even a party to celebrate a liberation isn't helping him relax much. Lance might be a little more able to help with that.





	Bonding Moments

**Author's Note:**

> Klance Reverse Bang story two! This one written with Lavenderdreamer13! Please kudo/comment if you like it!

Keith took a deep breath as he stepped outside onto the terrace and into the cool night air, looking up at the sky above him. From down here, space seemed as beautiful as he remembered it, though none of the constellations were familiar, and it was tinted red from this planet's atmosphere. He was not even in the same galaxy now, after all, dressed in surprisingly nice clothing, to celebrate the liberation of Raibox. Keith was becoming a bit overwhelmed though, and a moment away from the throng of the party was a much needed break.

Keith had never liked crowds, and there was definitely a crowd tonight. The Queen of Raibox had insisted upon the palace hosting the party, saying it was the least they could do to show their gratitude to the valiant paladin's of Voltron who had saved them from the Galran Empire. She naturally invited pretty well the entire city too, and Keith strongly suspected they had all turned up, and a few others from other cities as well.  
  
The planet looked beautiful enough, and it was certainly unique. There was a single stretch of habitable area, by the planets equator, and along the ocean. This was the only area it rained, and it the entire Raibix population lived in a space about the size of his home country of Canada. A big area, but not near Earth's habitable area, and the climate was different. So were Raibixians. They could not tolerate the frigid climates of their north and south, which remained frozen in ice all year long. Much of the planet was also desert, and Raibixians could not handle extreme dryness, or their skin would apparently crack. So it was here, in this jungle covered stretch of land that they all lived, right by the ocean and rivers, and under the tree tops, surrounded by glowing flowers and perfumed blossoms, that made the air heavy with scent and vaguely reminded Keith of lilacs in mid-May.

Keith wished he could go home more than ever, and picked lightly at the vines that grew along the stone terrace. The stone reminded him vaguely of marble, though he knew it was not _really_ marble. He sighed softly though, glad the closed doors shut out much of the sound, though when he heard it a little louder for a moment he frowned. The door closed again, though he did not turn to see who it was. Probably Shiro, checking in on him. Shiro said he supported Keith, and thought Keith was doing well as the Black Paladin, but Keith never really felt like he meant it. Ever since that fight against Zarkon, he had seemed different.

“Keith? Hey man, whatcha doin' out here?” The speaker was not Shiro, but Lance, which did surprise him a little bit. His rival had come to check on him? Of course Keith never saw them as rivals really, but Lance kept challenging him, and Keith was never one to let things like that slide. Not to mention Lance was stunningly attractive, so any excuse to be near him sent Keith's poor gay heart aflutter, and he jumped at the chance to spend all the time he could with Lance.

“Oh. Uh. I don't really like crowds. That's all,” Keith said, managing an attempt at a smile, though he felt strained doing it, and he had a feeling Lance could see right through that. Lance snorted softly and smiled before walking over to lean on the balcony too, looking up at the stars. Keith could not stop looking at Lance's face. The calmness that radiated from his expression and radiated from Lance now helping Keith breathe a little easier again.

“The stars are pretty from down here, huh? I almost forget that sometimes, when we're up there. How beautiful stars are from a planet. You know what I mean?” Lance asked, and Keith managed a more genuine smile at that. It was nice to know he and Lance were on the same wavelength with at least this.

“I was just thinking that too, actually. I uh, I always wanted to go to space, you know, but I never thought it would be like this. As a paladin of Voltron.” Keith said. He looked back out again, over the city this time. The city was as beautiful to look at as the sky above them, all lit up and as _alive_ as it was. There was some damage from the fight, but nothing serious, surprisingly enough. Keith had almost missed cities. Not the crowds, but cities themselves, the way they were all lit up at night, the way you could tell who was at work, at home, the way the city vibrated with energy and light. He missed that.

“I wonder if they get rain here. I miss rain so much since we came out here. I used to go outside every time it did, and just let it fall on me. Splashing in puddles, and laying in the wet grass, and just watching the heavens pour all over the place. I always loved thunderstorms best though, they were the best!” Lance said, a look of longing in his eyes that was so desperate Keith wanted more than anything to help him get back home, if only to watch Lance enjoy a thunderstorm. 

“I uh. I like rain too. And snow. I miss snow. I missed it before we left earth though, when I was in the garrison. And after, since I couldn't really get back, and my visa was still good and all,” Keith said.

“Yeah? They didn't revoke it when you got the boot, huh?” Lance asked, grinning and looking back at Keith now who pouted a little.

“Doesn't work like that, and you know it. Besides, aren't you from Cuba, you had one too, right?” Keith pointed out and Lance laughed.

“Yeah, yeah. Five years from date issued. And anyways, I dunno where you're from 'scept that you got snow there. I've actually never seen snow, but it looks like so much fun!” Lance grinned. Keith smiled too, definitely feeling a little better with Lance out here too. He had thought solitude was best, but it seemed Keith did not need solitude right now, so much as he needed a friend to reminisce with. Did it count if the friend was someone you had been crushing on since you first laid eyes on him though?

“I'm Canadian, eh?” Keith joked. He was relaxed and calm right now, his anxiety lower with Lance here and so joking came a bit easier to him. He had a lot of walls, but once he let his guard down a little he did enjoy being a bit silly now and then and would even joke around with those around him.

“Canadian? Seriously? So did you like, grow up in a snow fort and ride a moose to school then?” Lance teased him, and Keith rolled his eyes. It was nice bonding like this, over their childhoods and what they missed about Earth and home most of all.

“Yes Lance. I rode a moose to school every day of the year, through six metres of snow, up hill both ways and lived in a snow fort. Oh, and all we drink up there is maple syrup and we eat nothing but Canadian bacon and poutine,” Keith joked. Lance's eyes went wide, the look on his face was priceless.

“I _knew_ it!” Lance whispered, his expression serious for all of ten seconds before they both burst out laughing. “In all honesty Keith, I don't actually know what poutine _is_ but it sounds pretty Canadian too.” 

“Lance. Poutine is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. It's french fries, cheese curds, and gravy, and it's the best damn thing Earth has to offer, no matter what anyone else tells you,” Keith said. Keith was absolutely serious about his poutine, and he was more than willing to fight Lance on this one.

“Okay man, okay, I surrender,” Lance put his hands up, by his shoulders, his smile just as beautiful in Keith's mind as the stars above them, and all the city below them.

“Snow is pretty but it's actually kinda bothersome most of the time,” Keith said softly now, feeling his cheeks heating up suddenly. Lance was so close and so beautiful, and Keith could not handle how much he loved his teammate.

“Nah, couldn't you just like, toboggan and ski everywhere?” Lance asked, a bit more seriously this time. Keith laughed again. 

“No. You gotta shovel your sidewalks, and it's wicked cold, and you need to have long underwear and if snow gets in your boot your life might as well be over right there, because it _sucks._ And a lot of the birds leave, and there's no rain for months on end. And you can't always tell how deep snow is. It can drift and pile together, like sand does. You could thing it's fine and suddenly you're knee deep in snow. And you need gravel and salt and special boots, and special tires, and all kinds of stuff. But I mean, hockey, so it balances out.” Keith grinned. 

“Should have figured you'd like hockey. Personally I like football best. _Real_ football, not that thing American's call football. They don't even use their feet, why is it called football?!” Lance whined, looking truly perplexed and Keith chuckled softly. 

“Who knows. I never really got into it myself. Or baseball, that one was just boring. Now in _hockey_ you got fights, and there is nothing better than a good bench-clearing brawl that even the refs can't break up! Of course then a bunch of players can't play. No bleeding on the ice,” Keith joked. Lance snorted at that, smiling a little bit, and Keith felt his heart flutter suddenly. He hated when it did that, and it was always because of Lance. 

There was a moment of silence between the pair as they watched the night sky again, the music drifting out from the ballroom, and Keith took the chance to look at Lance from the corner of his eye. Lance wore blue, his garment mostly a lighter shade with darker blues in the belt and boots, and pants, though it was a good colour on him. Keith thought it brought out his eyes. There were trimmings of pink along the edges and around the blue metal Voltron insignia on his chest. His boots and belt had metallic pinks in them, while the garment itself was embroidered throughout, and completed with a sheer pink fabric on his arms and draped on him like a cape. A way more fashionable cape than Keith normally thought of, but this  _was_ Lance. Lance had decked himself out with some pink bangles on his wrist and hand, the right side, definitely, and maybe the left. And was that an earring? Two earrings. 

“You okay man? You're kinda staring,” Lance said suddenly, one eyebrow raised. Keith flushed as red as his own clothing.

“Uh. Is your formal stuff as stiff as mine is? Feels like they sewed cardboard or something in it.” Whew. Good cover.

“Oh, definitely. This is way stiffer than anything I've worn before. And I include the tux my sister made me wear for her wedding too, and I thought _that_ was bad!” Lance laughed, the sound making Keith's heart flutter once more. Ah damn it, he was calmer now then while in and among the crowd gathered for the celebration, but with Lance paying so much attention to him, Keith was not sure he was any better off, ultimately. 

“Hey, uh, I'm gonna head back in okay? You uh, you come in when you're ready to,” Lance said, smiling beautifully, and Keith nodded numbly, his mind a happy blank as Lance pushed off the balcony and returned inside. Keith sighed in borderline giddiness, a show of emotion he allowed himself only when no others could see him, and leaned back against the balcony, grinning as he watched Lance disappear back into the crowd of people. 

It took Keith another few minutes before he could finally push himself back inside, partly because he was getting thirsty, and partly because he wanted to drink in as much of Lance in that outfit as he could. Lance usually wore blue, but Keith had never really seen him in pink before either. Then again, as Shiro pointed out before the evening started, no one had ever seen Keith tie his hair back.

Keith stuck to the edges of the party, watching the dancers moving around the ballroom and his eyes rested on Hunk and Shay for a moment, dancing together with bright smiles on their faces. Keith was admittedly a touch jealous that Hunk was able to confess his feelings to Shay and in turn have them reciprocated. He wished he could at least ask Lance to dance, but even that felt like too much. Speaking of Lance, Keith could not find him now, though he was fairly certain that Lance was off flirting with some girl at the party. Another flash of jealousy that Keith had to try and brush away.

Lance was always competing with him, there was no way Lance liked him. But recently Lance was supportive. Kind. Keith felt like he was able to lean on and rely on Lance in a way he could not with others, and in a way he was afraid of doing at all. Everyone in his life had always abandoned him after all, starting with his mother, and it was hard for Keith to trust anyone. Shiro was the first person he learned to trust, and lately Shiro was not someone Keith felt he could go to with his issues or rely on. It hurt, in a lot of ways, coming to that conclusion. But Lance was becoming a stronger support daily. Part of that terrified Keith, and part of it overwhelmed him with joy and longing.

“Oh, there you are Keith. I was wondering where you ran off to,” Shiro said, grinning and walking over to him. Shiro wore something similar to what Keith did, in black and silver. Keith's outfit also included a sheer sleeve though, which Shiro did not have, and a golden headband to keep his hair out of his eyes, where Shiro wore his hair the same as always.

“Oh. Hey Shiro,” Keith said, smiling weakly. He did care about Shiro, of course. Shiro was like the older brother Keith had never had, but lately he felt less like a brother. Less like he believed in and supported Keith, and made Keith feel as though every decision he made was wrong somehow. Keith could never measure up to Shiro as a paladin or a leader, he had always known that, but somehow it hurt more knowing Shiro believed that about him too, even if Shiro would never say it.

“What are you doing on the sidelines there, huh? You should go enjoy yourself and join the party. Ask some cute girl to dance,” Shiro said, smiling at Keith and going to ruffle his hair, pausing only when Keith shot him a glare as though daring Shiro to mess up the hair he had _actually_ spend time on for once in his life.

“I'm fine, just taking a break,” Keith said. Shiro knew he was uncomfortable in crowds and around people Keith did not know. But then, all of Shiro's behaviour had been off since he went missing, and Keith worried a little about what that could mean.

“If you say so. I'm going to get more of that weird green drink I think, tastes like watermelon. Want any?” Shiro asked. Keith shook his head, no. He felt awkward and strange around Shiro lately, the way he always felt around strangers, but that could not be right, could it? Shiro was his brother. Takashi Shirogane, his only real friend in the world, his mentor and teacher. His brother. So why did it feel all wrong lately?

“Okay, suite yourself,” Shiro said, shrugging and walking off to the tables with food and drink laid out along them. Keith watched him go and sighed, wishing Shiro had not just gone there. So much for a drink after all, but Keith did not want to be around Shiro lately, and he did not want to go get himself a drink right after telling Shiro he did not want anything from the food tables. What a conundrum.

It was only another ten minutes or so, in which Keith stood alone by a wall and watched people dancing before someone else found him there. Lance again, who approached him smiling and with two glasses with a red punch in it.

“They have all the lion colours, how cool is that?” Lance asked, handing him a glass, which Keith took without complaint, sniffing the liquid curiously before he took a small sip. It tasted a bit like lemonade which seemed odd. Keith figured the yellow one would be the lemonade flavour.

“That's kinda cool, yeah. Shiro said the green one is watermelon?” Keith asked and Lance shrugged his shoulders with a grin as he sipped the punch in his glass.

“I've only tried blue and red. This one's nice right? Reminds me of summer time. My Mama would always make pitchers of lemonade in summer and we were never short on it. It was amazing,” Lance said with a grin. “Hers is better than this one of course, but this ain't bad.”

“You're real talkative tonight, huh?” Keith asked, smiling a little. He was enjoying learning so much about Lance, he really was, but it was odd that Lance seemed to want to talk to him at all lately, considering how their relationship was before Keith began to pilot the Black Lion.

“I mean. I can shut up if you want?” Lance asked, looking hurt at the comment. That was something Keith had not expected from Lance. He had no idea Lance was sensitive to that kind of thing, or he would never have said anything.

“That's not what I meant! I-I mean, I like it. I like hearing you talk, so um. Please keep talking,” Keith said, shifting uncomfortably. He really did like it, and he did not mean to imply otherwise. “What does the blue punch taste like?” Keith asked then. His guess was blue-raspberry, but that might be human conditioning.

“Um. Okay. It tastes like mango's actually, it's really nice. Want to try it? Or the other ones. I was kinda sticking to the lions I've flown, if I'm being honest here,” Lance said, the smallest of smiles reappearing on his lips, which made Keith relax a little bit again.

“No, this is okay. I uh, I don't really want to go over to the punch table right now anyways, so um. You don't have to hang out with me either you know, if you don't want to,” Keith would feel bad if Lance just spent the whole night here out of some sense of obligation. Lance finished off his punch in one swallow suddenly and placed his now emptied cup on a table nearby before offering a hand to Keith. Keith stared at it a solid minute before Lance spoke.

“That's an invitation to dance, just so you know,” Lance said, grinning at Keith brightly. Keith felt his cheeks heating up before he swallowed the rest of his punch the way Lance had and set his cup down beside Lance's and took his hand nervously, heart skipping a beat the moment their hands touched.

“I can't believe you're wearing your gloves at a formal party too,” Lance teased as they walked out onto the floor and Keith swallowed at that. He did not really have a reason beyond he was used to wearing them all the time now, and his hands felt naked without them.

“Well. Y-you know,” Keith mumbled, not entirely sure where he was actually trying to go with that. Lance chuckled and turned to face Keith once they were among the other party goers who were turning and moving on the dance floor in pairs. Lance put his right hand on Keith's hip and too Kieth's right hand in his left hand. Keith very self consciously put his left hand on Lance's shoulder before they began to move around in a very simple form of of the waltz with the box step.

“Unfortunately, I must confess I only know how to do this, and it's only because they made us in middle school,” Lance said with a small grin. His eyes were so blue and his smile was so gentle and soft it made Keith feel as though he were melting into a puddle right there, in the middle of the room.

“I can do this and like, one line dance, so um. It's fine, trust me,” Keith said, smiling shyly back. This was unlike him, but Lance was touching him, and looking at him with such a soft look, and _dancing_ with him, and Keith's poor gay heart just could not take it at all.

“You can line dance?” Lance asked, his expression showing surprise for a moment as they turned and moved slowly along the dance floor together. Keith almost wished he had not said anything at all.

“I uh, I grew up in Alberta dude. They have the same culture as Texas, but more gun control and snow, and there's the added bonus of hockey too. So we had to learn line dancing in middle school, but I only really remember one of them still, since we did it so often. I'm pretty sure everyone in my city knew how to do that one too, come to think of it, which is kinda weird,” Keith trailed off as he thought of over a million people lined up, doing the same movements in perfect time to the same country song.

“You all know the same dance? That's kind of terrifying Keith,” Lance said, an eyebrow raised as they moved slowly together.

“Um. I know. I just. Hey, you asked,” Keith pouted as Lance twisted them again. Keith did not mind letting Lance lead the dance either. He might be the leader of Voltron, technically, but it felt like he did so little actual leading since Shiro came back.

“Hey, don't pout, you're too pretty for that tonight,” Lance teased him, his eyes locked on Keith's. It felt intense, and Keith did not understand really what Lance was trying to convey, all he knew was he was lost quite suddenly, and unable to look away from Lance or break his gaze. A small smile formed on Lance's lips, and Keith had to assume he had stopped pouting, though he could not feel his entire body for some reason. He had gone very tingly.

They did not exchange many words after that, simply moving and turning slowly around the dance floor, surrounded by aliens on an alien world. Keith felt like his whole body was on fire, in the best way possible, and he knew he was smiling like a fool by the time Lance finally paused their dance and led Keith back outside on to the balcony again.

“What are we-” Keith asked, his voice softer than he meant it to be, but it felt like a quiet moment. Lance merely grinned and pulled at the cords that had kept the curtains tied up, to let them fall behind the pair, concealing them from the rest of the party. Then Lance closed the doors quietly, and took Keith's hand gently, walking with him to the edge of the balcony and leaning against it. This time, Lance's gaze stayed fixed on Keith, rather than the stars above them, or the city below them, and when Keith leaned against the wall of the balcony, his eyes stayed fixed on Lance in return.

It was calm out hear, the perfume that mimicked lilac heavy on the air, and the sound of music, laughter, and merriment came still from the closed door, but it seemed neither of them were intent on going back now. Keith felt his heart fluttering in his chest when he realized he was probably in love with Lance a little bit more than he had first feared. It nearly stopped when Lance pulled Keith a little bit closer, arm going around his waist again, hand in hand as they pulled away to turn and dance here on the balcony, alone in their own universe and in each other with none to pry.

It was on the third turn that Keith rested his head on Lance's shoulder, content to simply keep it there as long as possible. Lance was so warm, and he smelled so good, and he was so, so beautiful. And so kind, something Keith was not used to much of in life. He lifted his head on the tenth turn though, when Lance moved his shoulder a little.

And then Keith felt like he could fly, as Lance's face moved close to his, their lips meeting as they stopped dancing. Keith's hand moved from Lance's shoulder to behind his neck. Lance let go of his other hand too, to move that around Keith's waist too, and so Keith's other arm moved up to wrap around Lance's neck. Oh, it was like breathing for the first time, and Keith's heart raced far faster then the beat of the music that even now floated out. When Lance finally pulled away, their foreheads rested against each other, their noses brushing against each other, and their lips only a couple of centimetre's apart. They were still and quiet for a long moment, simply there in one anothers presence.

“You look really good wit h your hair tied back,” Lance murmured to Keith after a moment. Keith grinned a little at the compliment, staying right where he was as Lance's hand brushed his cheek and their lips met again. It was a shorter kiss, though just as sweet, and Keith was glad Allura had insisted they all come now. To think, he could be on the training deck right now instead of on a balcony wrapped in Lance's arms and kissing him at long last. This time, when they pulled apart it was Keith who spoke first.

“You just look good all the time,” He murmured softly, and Lance grinned at that and kissed him a third time. Oh, let tonight never end, Keith thought. It would be a while before anyone missed them anyways, and so they might as well steal as much of that time as they could to themselves and be selfish in their want of each other.

 


End file.
